Seal-lock



(Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. JORDAN 81: I. C. PLANT.

SEAL LOCK.

Patented Out. 12, 1886.

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j) u f/Qzaw@ l .dttorney- (Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. JORDAN 8v I. C. PLANT.

SEAL LOCK.

Patented 001;. 12, 1886.

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'Unirse "rares JESSE .TOR-DAN AND INCREASE C. PLANT, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

SEAL-LOCK.

forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,885, dated October 12, 1886.

i\ppliratiou tiled August l0, 1836. Serial No. 210,532. (Model.)

To @ZZ whom it may conoci-n.-

Be it known that we. JESSE JORDAN and Irons-xsi: C. PLANT, citizens of the United States, and residents ot' Macon, in the county of Bihb and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal- Locks; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ot' the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective view ot' our improved seal lock, showing its door swung open and the seal applied; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on line .fr .r of Fig. l, the door being closed. Fig. 3 is a like section on line y y ofthe same figure. Fig. 4. is another similar section ofthe saine figure, taken on line z :.f. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the lock, the lid being raised to show the seal, the bolt being dotted in its withdrawn position.` Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the gravity-catch. T is a perspective view showing the bolt, guide, and stop separated, and Fig. S is a front elevation of the lock-casing, the door shown in dotted lines so as to reveal the hidden screws.

Likeletters of referenceindieiite corresponding parts in the several figures.

Our invention has relation to seal locks; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts, which, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, shall constitute certain improvements upon United States Patent No. 328,893, issued to Jordan and Lagerquist, October 20, 1885.

One object of our invention is to make an improvement upon keyless seal-locks, which shall furnish a more satisfactory check between stations ou the same road or upon separate lines of road, and at the same time give a sure clue as to the section of road upon which said lock may have been tampered with. Should a car cli route for Savannah leave XVashington properly sealed and arrive at its destination with its seals intact, it is evident that it' anything is missing from the car the agent at Tashington must account for it, as the seal-coupon,

which is left hidden in the lock when the seal .is broken, bears the name ot' that station, date of scaling, signature of the agent, and any other necessary characters.

Another object is to make a lock which shall possess great advantage over lead seals, on which the impressions ot the terminal stations or other essential characters are often imperfect. This is accomplished by our paper seals being printed and so placed in the lock as not to be defaceable or exchangeable withont opening the lock, which can only be done from the inside of the car or when the bolt isu withdrawn,which withdrawal always destroys the seal; also, to provide a lock which cannot be removed from the door'when locked. To this end the retaining-screws are all completelyhidden,both of the lock-casing and the bolt-guide. Furthermore, to so construct said lock that the paper seals may be dispensed with and the lock sealed by a lead seal or secured by a padlock.

All these objects we attain as hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- A represents the back plate of the lock; C, the front plate; l), the door hinged thereto; E, the latch; F, the bolt or sliding hasp, and G- the gravity-catch. The back plate is capped by a ledge which extends its entire length and projects sut'iiciently forward to shield the interior ot' the casing from water. Formed in tegral with said ledge is an upwardly-projecting staple, H, and at one side ot' said staple the ledge is flattened and provided with a square perforation for thepassage of the catch. Said catch is formed with a beveled lower end, which allows the bolt to force np the catch as the former is pushed into the casing. A recess is `formed in its frontside in which projects the stop l, which is formed in the catchrecess upon the inner face of the front plate, said stop limiting the upward throw ot' the catch. The upper end ot' the catch is formed to correspond with the staple lil, in order that the bolt ofa padlock, when so desired, may be passed through the two to secure the catch in place. Small'perfor-ations J are made in both staple and upper end ot' the catch, to afford means for securing the catch in pla-ce by a lead seal in case the paper seal should not be used. A tlange, K, curved at its forward end,

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is also formed upon said catch, the curved portion furnishing a finger-piece to assist in raising the catch from its engagement with the bolt. The bolt slides in the guide L, secured to the side of the car, and is limited in its backward movement by the stop M. Said bolt is provided at one end-with an eye, and with a lug, N, to assist in sliding itand in keeping it in place. It also has a rectangular rib along the upper edge of its face, which near its inner end is reduced, arid provided through the reduced portion with a slot, O, through which the seal is passed, the reduction providing for exhibiting as much as possible of the seal. Across the upper edge of the bolt isI formed a not-ch, I), for the reception of the end of the catch. The advantage of the sliding bolt is that in being adapted to slide it is easier to guide the bolt into the lock when the carf door is closed thanit is to guide the lock and its ponderous door upon the bolt; also, said bolt in its withdrawn position can injure no one, nor can it be injured in the loading or unloading of the car. The front plate has a Tshaped recess formed in its face, in which rest-s the correspondingly-shaped seal Q. A horizontal passage for the bolt is formed in said plate and extends nearly across the same. The lower edge, formed by the junction of the seal-recess and the bolt-passage, is beveled, as shown at R in Fig. 3, and this bevel coacts with the toothed flange of plate S, se-

. cured to the inside of the door, in holding the lower end of the seal when the bolt tears its way through it, and by thus coacting it prevents the lower end of the seal from being wedged in between the bolt and the casing.

The door has a glass-covered window in its center, which window is covered by the lid T. A housing is formed at the free edge of the door, and in this housing is pivoted the latch E. A screw, U, is turned into the lower side of said housing, and by means-ot` it the drop of the latch may be regulated. This latch,'when the door is closed, passes into a tube, V, formed upon the back of the back plate, and hooks over a ridge or crossbar,

W. A hole is made through the car-door for said tube, and the latch is long enough to come about flush with the inner surface of said door. In closing the door the end ot` the latch automatically rises over the ridge. Then the only way by which the door of the lock can be. opened is-by lifting said latch from the inside of the car. The front plate is screwed to the back one by screws X, passed from the latter into the former, and the-back plate is secured to the car-door by screws Y, all of which, when the lock-door is closed, are completely hidden; so, also, are the bolts which` its lower end through the slot in the bolt, the remaining part resting in the T-Shaped recess. automatically latched the car is locked and sealed.

Tov open the car the catch is raised and the bolt withdrawn,"which severs the stern part of theT-shaped seal, leaving the coupon in its recess and the lower end of said stem under the toothed plate.

The T-shaped paper seal used has printed on both sides of the stem portion the names of the stations which form the termini of the cars trip,` or simply the name of the road and of the lading station, the same being also printed upon one side of the top portion,which serves as a coupon. Upon the other side vof the coupon is the signature of the agent who sealed the car, also the date of sealing; but as n we do not desire to cover said seal in this ap plication we reserve the right to make separate application therefor.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claimf 1. In a lock for car-doors, thecombination of the lock-casing secured to the car-door, a catch within said casing, and a sliding bolt provided with an eye and a lug at one en d, a guide secured to the side of the car, and a stop to limit the withdrawal of said bolt.

2. In a seal-lock, the combination of the back plate, the front plate provided with a catch-recess having a stop therein, a sliding bolt provided with a notch in its upper edge, and 'a gravity-catch provided with a recess in o ne side and with a finger-piece near its up per end.

3. In a seal-lock provided with a door, the combination of the back plate, the front plate provided with a T-shaped recess for the re- .ception of a Tshaped seal, and with a longitudinal bolt-passage, a sliding bolt provided with a vertical slot near its inner end, anda catch adapted to engage said bolt. A

4. The combination, in a seal lock provided with a sliding slotted bolt, a catch coacting with said bolt, and a door, of a front plate formed with a sealrecess`, and a plate provided with a toothed flange and secured to said door so that the flange projects into said recess. j

5. The combination, in a seal lock provided with a door,and a back plate having a rearwardly-p rojecting tube containing a crosspiece, of an automatic catch pivoted in a housing on the back of said door, and a regulating-screw turned through the lower side of said housing.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereunto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE JORDAN.

INCREASE C. PLANT.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. PLANT, JNO. II. INGRAHAM.

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